The Crosby Arboretum

Mississippi State University Extension Service

Quarterly News Journal Spring 2020 34.2

MARGIE YATES JENKINS: FAREWELL TO A REGIONAL TREASURE Louisiana plantswoman Mrs. Margie Jenkins passed away on January 29, 2020, at the age of 98. If you have plants in your garden purchased at a Crosby Arboretum native plant sale, and in particular native azaleas, mountain laurel, red star anise, bigleaf magnolia, or oakleaf hydrangea, the chances are pretty good you own plants that were touched by Margie’s hands. “Ms. Margie” was an expert not only in growing plants, but also in making you feel like you were the only person alive when you arrived at Jenkins Farm and Nursery in Amite, Louisiana. She would whisk you off on her golf cart, treating you to stories about what she was propagating, the plants that were “coming on”, where she had just visited or who she had been visiting with. More likely than not, you’d leave much later that day with a few unexpected plants, the result of her instructing you to “just take one of them, honey”. Crosby Pond Journey came from Jenkins Nursery, often donated at no Arboretum grounds manager Terry Johnson reminisced on the cost. Margie loved native plants and walking in her woods many lunches he had shared with Margie, daughter Margie near the Little Tchefuncte River. It is incalculable the impact Ann, and son Mark when he would pick up our plant orders. that Miss Margie has had on green industry professionals and He recalled the time he found Margie bending over a 4” pot at communities across the Gulf Coast, and her legacy ranks with the kitchen table with what looked to be hundreds of tiny the greats of our region including Caroline Dormon, Tom oakleaf hydrangea sprouted from seed and picking them apart Dodd Jr., Elizabeth Lawrence, and J.C. Raulston.” Crosby’s carefully with tweezers. Former Arboretum site director Bob first director, Ed Blake, Jr., knew Margie through Robert Brzuszek also recounted: “It always felt like visiting family on Poore, a student of his at Mississippi State University. After Thanksgiving when I drove to Amite to get a truckload of our Piney Woods Pond was constructed, Robert and Ed plants from Jenkins Nursery. The first stop was in their office traveled to Louisiana in 1987 to buy plants from Ms. Margie. to share a cup of coffee with Bryant Jenkins while waiting for He credits her with showing him how to appreciate our native his wife Miss Margie to come in. Margie was a true force of species. Margie and Ed knew the potential value of Crosby as nature, a hickory stick of a woman who could lug ten-gallon a public garden that would be displaying the region’s native containers without effort. In her private collection garden, she species. Ed recorded an oral history of his memories of Margie would show her latest finds of rare plants given by friends. in a 2014 LSU thesis by Gayna B. Veltman, “A Louisiana Margie Jenkins was instrumental in the early Crosby days Plantswoman: Margie Yates Jenkins”. The recording is at the because she had one of the few regional native plant nurseries T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History, LSU Libraries. His that could supply plants. Many of the trees planted along the stories about Margie are delightful, and I can hear Ed saying: “Margie’s accomplishments stem from her attitude that is like a child’s wonder, every day is like Christmas, and every day she loves life and the beauty and all the things on this earth.”

- Patricia Drackett, Director, The Crosby Arboretum

Donations in Margie’s memory may be made to the Margie Y. Jenkins Azalea Garden at LSU AgCenter's Hammond Research Station, established in 2006 to honor, share and teach about the contributions Ms. Margie made to the nursery and landscape industry. Make checks payable to the LSU AgCenter and write "Margie Jenkins" in the memo field. Mail to 21549 Old Covington Hwy, Hammond, LA 70403. Donations may also be made to the In November 2019, a group of Pearl River County Master Gardeners and Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Foundation for Scholarship and Arboretum volunteers traveled to the LNLA/LSU Louisiana Plant Research, check to LNLFSR; note "Margie Y. Jenkins Scholarship Materials Conference at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station to Fund". Mail to LNLFSR, PO Box 1447, Mandeville, LA 70470. hear Mrs. Margie Jenkins speak about azaleas and other plant delights. The Crosby Arboretum Mississippi State University

A regional arboretum representing the native flora of the Pearl River Drainage Basin in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Picayune, Mississippi, USA

Director’s Notebook: Thanks to the social media talents of Nickie Smith, the Crosby Arboretum recently surpassed 6,000 Facebook likes, over 2,000 more than in March 2019. What’s the big deal, you may wonder? Well, it greatly helps in getting the word out quickly about upcoming programs and events. Last year, the Arboretum conducted a total of 78 programs and events that served a total of 3,779 persons, a significant increase over the 66 programs and events in 2018 serving 2,711 persons. Memberships have continued to rise. At the end of 2019, we had 455 members. Visitation last year was up as well, at 8,168, up from the 2018 visitation of 6,536 persons. Sherri Lowe’s methods of tracking visitors has greatly helped Visitors enjoyed a January walk along the 700 foot Swamp to capture data. But, you can, too! Please remember to check Forest Trail, and reading the many new interpretive signs. in at the office when you visit! We count everyone! Our Nickie Smith: Update on Crosby volunteers contributed approximately 1,000 hours last year, represented a labor value of 24,000. Many community groups Arboretum Programs and Events also contributed additional labor toward Crosby projects. We We’re knocking off the are excited about our spring programs and events, the near winter chill and getting completion of construction for the Rosen Pavilion located at ready for spring!! Our the Gum Pond, and the March 10 opening of the UnBuilt event and program Crosby Arboretum exhibit in Washington, D.C. If you are in calendars are loaded with the D.C. area, be sure to check it out! something for everyone, even people that aren’t - Patricia Drackett, Director great with plants (I’m The Crosby Arboretum, MSU Extension Service talking about me). Of course, our Spring Native Plant Sale is always highly anticipated by everyone, and this year is no exception. We’ve also added programs to our schedule that are made for those of us that are lacking that green thumb. We hosted a successful vegetable container gardening program with Dr. Eddie Smith, Pearl River County Coordinator and Extension Agent, attended by more than forty

persons on Friday, March 6. Our program calendar contains an outstanding selection of topics for the spring quarter, and we plan on continuing to offer more programs that focus on bringing those persons who are not as close as they’d like to be to nature a little closer. As we continue through the spring, I’d like to hear more about what you would like to see and learn about at the Arboretum. I’m working to expand on current events and bring in new ones and your input is vital! Remember, you can come visit us, even when there isn’t a The UnBuilt Crosby Arboretum: An Unrealized program or event. The trails are great for walks, runs, dog Masterplan by E. Fay Jones and Edward Blake Jr. walks (we are pet friendly) and there are so many picturesque The Octagon Museum of the Architects Foundation places for a photo shoot or just to sit down and have a picnic. March 10-July 31, 2020 We welcome you to come see us! 1735 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006 https://www.caad.msstate.edu/exhibitions/2019/unbuilt- - Nickie Smith, Event & Marketing Coordinator The Crosby Arboretum, MSU Extension Service arboretum-exhibition (Follow for exhibit overview)

The Crosby Arboretum Mississippi State University

A regional arboretum representing the native flora of the Pearl River Drainage Basin in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Picayune, Mississippi, USA

Thank you, 2019 Annual Appeal Contributors! The Crosby Arboretum wishes to express our sincere gratitude, and to acknowledge the persons who made contributions to our 2019 year-end Annual Appeal. This year’s annual appeal letter was included in your winter quarterly news journal, which resulted in a considerable savings on mailing costs.

A total of $6,347 was raised for the purpose of continuing to implement our site Master Plan designed by Ed Blake, Jr. by constructing the western pathway around the “panhandle” portion of the Gum Pond, and to install interpretive signage. We are sincerely thankful for your enthusiastic response this year!

Capt. Cornelius and Loretta Acheson Doug and Phyllis Goodwin Gordon and Laura Ousset Theresa Anoskey Mason and Janet Gordon Julia O'Neal Ivan and Mary Biernacki John and Laurie Gwaltney Sibyl Ramsey Phelan and Fay Bright Lamar and Jennifer Heffner Chris Schneidau and Judy Schwartzer Bruce Campbell and Ann Steinmetz William and Natalie Locke Sharon Swope Ruth Cook Jack and Sue McGuire William Thames to fund signageCharles improvements Cox throughout the propertyDennis andand alsoMary to Martinsupport a summer internshipMelinda for a Mississippi Tucker State UniversityOsmond landscape and Debbi architecture Crosby and/or landscapeRobert contractingand Cynthia and Murchison management student. ImproTonyvements and Sue to Wilder be made will include locatingJo Ann welcome Fleming signage at the main entrance,Kenneth and Newburger replacing and adding new directionalGene signage Yeager throughout the property. LAST SUMMER – NATE, AND SIGNAGE IMPROVEMENTS

We are pleased that so many of you have again demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting improvements to THE ROSEN PAVILION AT THE GUM POND EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT the Arboretum and its educational exhibits. Your generosity continues to allow us to provide visitors with new opportunities for learning about the value of our regional ecosystems while exploring this unique public garden.

Over the past winter, construction took place on the Rosen Pavilion, a structure reflecting the image of Pinecote Pavilion on the Gum Pond’s eastern shore, designed by Robert Poore of Native Habitats, Inc. who was involved in the early conceptual design of the Crosby Arboretum with first director Ed Blake, Jr. The simple pavilion is much smaller in size than Pinecote Pavilion, just large enough to contain a few benches for seating, creating an intimate space at the water's edge. This structure is a representation of a black gum dominated hummock, with the pavilion nested in among the trunks. Columns reach up out of the water, as trees will reach for sunlight, forming an understory canopy comprised of beams and a broad thin roof. The pavilion was a donation to the Arboretum from the Rosen family, in memory of former Foundation board member Yvette Rosen. Yvette’s husband John and daughter Anne (right) enjoyed a visit in February to view the construction progress. Once the project area has been regraded and the adjacent trail rebuilt and connected to the pavilion, visitors will have the opportunity to rest on the pavilion’s benches and contemplate the view across the pond. The Gum Pond Exhibit is only a short stroll north from our Visitor Center along the Swamp Forest Trail.

PLANT PROFILE: Cliftonia monophylla GUM POND EXHIBIT IRIS DONATION

Sally Lebourgeois (L) and Carmen Ulfers (R) planted several hundred giant blue Iris (Iris giganticaerulea) in Cliftonia is a large evergreen shrub that is commonly December at the Gum Pond in December, donated by the known as buckwheat tree because of its seed clusters Greater New Orleans Iris Society. The organization resembling buckwheat seed. You can find this glossy- collects wild Louisiana species iris and prepares them for leaved plant growing in full sun at Hillside Bog Natural donation through planting projects, though the generosity of Area (R) or towering over your head in the understory their volunteers like Sally, increasing locations for the along the shady pathway near our Cypress Cove deck on public to learn about these beautiful native perennials. the Arboretum’s Pond Journey. This native shrub grows to 15’ or more, and prefers moist, acidic soils, making it The News Journal is a quarterly publication of The Crosby a good choice for wet areas in your home landscape. Arboretum, Mississippi State University Extension Although it blooms a bit less abundantly in shade, it is Service. A subscription is included with an Arboretum membership. Journal may be received electronically. still gorgeous when in bloom. Color variations will occur, and a popular pink selection is ‘Chipola Pink’. Please send correspondence to: Patricia Drackett, Editor State botanist Heather Sullivan has reported she once The Crosby Arboretum, P.O. Box 1639, Picayune, MS 39466 came across a colony of Cliftonia in Stone County that [email protected]

was such a deep pink, it almost appeared to be maroon! Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status.

Membership Application

All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed. For more information call: (601) 799-2311 or print form online. ____ Student (send copy of student ID) $ 20.00 Mississippi State University ____ Individual 35.00 P.O. Box 1639 _____ Individual/Senior 30.00 Picayune, MS 39466-1639 ____ Family 45.00 ____ Donor 100.00 ____ Patron 250.00 ____ Benefactor 1,000.00 ____ Business Sweetgum 100.00 ______Sassafras 250.00 ____ Live Oak 500.00 ____ Bigleaf Magnolia 1,000.00 ______Name ______Address ______City ______State Zip Phone Renewing? □ Memberships are for one year.